On Sunday 15th April the whole College community made a gita to the Shrine of Our Lady, Mother of Good Counsel, in the town of Genazzano, about an hour’s drive from the centre of Rome. The afternoon’s itinerary included a visit to the Castello Colonna, the ancient seat of the Colonna family and, for a time, the Borgia family. The town of Genazzano was famous for contributing a significant portion of its revenues to the building of the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome. The Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel was built in the 13th century to recognise the town’s commitment to the great Roman Basilica of Mary. Later, in the 15th century, the image of Our Lady, Mother of Good Counsel, is said to have miraculously appeared in the Church. Over the generations since many Popes have had great devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel.

During our pilgrimage the Rector reminded us all, seminarians and priests alike, that what are needed today in the Church are seminarians and priests of virtue, men who live at the higher level. He exhorted us to pray fervently to Our Lady, Mother of Good Counsel, for the help that we need when making important decisions, for the assistance we need to live lives of virtue.